


A Dream Is A Wish Your Best Friend's Dog Makes

by Tejnoo



Category: Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Magical Realism, Canon Compliant, Crack, Crack Treated Seriously, Dreams, Fluff, Fluff and Crack, Friends to Lovers, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-24
Updated: 2018-12-24
Packaged: 2019-09-26 07:51:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,679
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17137886
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tejnoo/pseuds/Tejnoo
Summary: “So, I've painstakingly gone through every single detail of every one of these entries and through all my careful analysis, I have come to a conclusion. According to my calculations, you, Jeongin dear, are in love with Hyunjin's dog.” Minho replies with a flourish, looking 100% confident.Wait, what?“What? No! Hyung, that makes no sense. That's so weird! I'm not into that weird stuff like you are! Changbin hyung was right, there was no use asking you about this!”After Jeongin visits Hyunjin's house during a short break from idol activities, a strange encounter with Hyunjin's dog, Kkami leads to Jeongin multiple strange dreams involving said dog, and his owner. Jeongin wonders what the hell it all means.





	A Dream Is A Wish Your Best Friend's Dog Makes

**Author's Note:**

  * For [strawhatmikans](https://archiveofourown.org/users/strawhatmikans/gifts).



> I'm finally uploading this, phew. I've had several tries because it's been so difficult to find the time and internet access to finally unleash whatever this is onto the internet, but here it is! 
> 
> I tried my best to incorporate as many elements of the request without making it seem like I just mashed everything together, and I hope I achieved that somehow. I'm not sure whether this really counts as magical realism, but I tried. This fic was inspired by those jokes about Kkami flexing on stays like "haha your oppa loves me" or whatever and also by the fact that the first thing I thought of when I read the words "magical realism" was talking animals as I'd been reading Kafka on the Shore at the time, though really the talking animals are the only element I took from that haha. 
> 
> I'd been struggling quite a bit with finishing all of this on time with a lack of access to the internet or my devices and with my parents watching my every movement like hawks, so I haven't had time to go over this again like I planned, which I apologise for. There's probably a few errors, which I will try to fix as soon as I can. Speaking of struggling with time management, I'd like to apologise to the mods and thank them for being so understanding and patient and for organising this whole thing in the first place. I had a lot of fun writing this, especially since it was quite a challenge. I'd also like to thank the loml (you know who you are uwu) for putting up with me through all my crazy ideas and complaining about how I'd never finish and for giving me inspiration and encouragement. 
> 
> Alright, I won't drag this on for much longer. I tend to get carried away haha. In fact, I had estimated that this fic would amount to about 4-5k words, but it's almost double that. 
> 
> Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays and I hope you enjoy this fic!

Jeongin loves being an idol. He loves singing and dancing and making other people happy. He loves the unmatchable feeling of being on stage, with the collective energy emanating from the fans, lights and booming music filling him with a giddy thrill. He loves his fans and most of all, he loves his fellow members, his eight precious  _ hyungs _ who are now his family as much as his mum, dad and brother. They’ve encouraged him and praised him held his hand through everything- even when Jeongin’s not quite sure he deserves it, and even though the coddling can get a bit overwhelming (especially coming from Seungmin) and admitting that he loves them feels a bit like letting your mother tearily hug and kiss you before a field trip right in front of all of your friends, he really loves being a part of Stray Kids. 

 

Even so, it’s always a relief when they get a break from all of this and are allowed to return to the familiarity of their homes and the warm embraces of their proud parents. This particular break, howevprobeongin’s not going back to Busan and he’s not quite escaping Stray Kids. Instead, he’s been invited to Hyunjin’s house for the holidays. Of course, he misses his family but it's much easier to just travel within Seoul than to go to Busan in the limited amount of time they've been allowed. Besides, Jeongin's excited to see what Hyunjin's house and family are like and to spend time with one of his best friends outside the busy hustle of their usual packed schedules. 

 

Before he can finally make it out of the dorms, Jeongin has to struggle with seven other boys scrambling on top of him in what is probably supposed to be an affectionate hug but is really mostly just suffocating. Jeongin is surrounded by walls of his loud members, caging him in and fussing over him while Hyunjin just stands to the side, waiting and giggling and not helping. Then again, Hyunjin is so disgustingly affectionate, it's pleasantly surprising that he's not joining in.

 

“Hwang Hyunjin, you'd better take care of our maknae or I'll cut you with Changbin's chin!” 

 

“Jeonginnie, have a safe trip!” 

 

“Hyung, I'm literally just going across the city. It's not a big deal.”

 

“Aren't you going to miss me, Jeongin?”

 

“Absolutely not, Seungmin hyung. Ew.”

 

After Jeongin is finally released from the loving clutches of his bandmates, it doesn't take very long to reach Hyunjin's house. When they do, the two boys are greeted with a warm welcome by Hyunjin's parents and Jeongin is quickly ushered into the room he'll be staying in. While he's lugging his bags into the room he'll be staying in and just taking in the details of the unfamiliar house, Hyunjin disappears to go to the bathroom. Jeongin doesn't take long inside the room since he didn't need to bring a huge amount of luggage for such a short trip, so he exits the bedroom and hovers outside awkwardly while waiting for Hyunjin to return. Suddenly, Jeongin sees a small, black ball of fur hurtling towards him in the corner of his eye. Only when the creature jumps up at his legs does Jeongin realise that this is the famed Kkami, Hyunjin's dog that he adores so much. Hyunjin gushes about Kkami so much, Jeongin was really looking forward to finally meeting him. However, he was definitely not anticipating that when the tiny dog opened its mouth, the sound that resulted would not be a loud, high-pitched yip, but rather a voice so deep, it would put Felix to shame.

 

“Hello, Yang Jeongin. It's nice to finally meet you.”

 

What the fuck?

 

Jeongin frantically looks around for a more plausible source for the unfamiliar voice, but to no avail. There's nobody else other than Jeongin, Hyunjin and his family here, right? But then where did that voice come from? He looks back down at Kkami, who seems to be staring right into his soul. It's quite disconcerting. What's even more disconcerting is that the next time Jeongin hears that voice, there's no denying that it did indeed come from the tiny dog in front of him. He's been staring at Kkami and Kkami has been staring back and there's absolutely no doubt that Kkami is the one who said "What are you looking at me like that for? Do you have no manners?'

 

No, that doesn't make sense. Just because there's no other feasible explanation doesn't mean it's easy for Jeongin to believe this is happening. Surely it's a dream. Maybe being cooped up in a dorm with eight other crazy boys has made Jeongin go crazy too. Nobody could live 24/7 with Lee Minho and Han Jisung and make it out with all their brain cells intact. 

 

Jeongin can't stop himself and he is suddenly opening his mouth and about to speak back (to a dog!), when Hyunjin finally emerges out of the bathroom, his eyes widening with delight when he spots his precious Kkami. The older boy sprints towards the dog and crouches down, cooing and talking in a high-pitched voice that was much better suited for talking to small, fluffy animals than the tone in which Jeongin probably would've replied to Kkami with if Hyunjin hadn't interrupted. Thank goodness for that. He would've made an absolute fool of himself, even more so now that Jeongin is pretty certain the whole Kkami speaking to him thing was actually an illusion all along. Everything is back to normal. Hyunjin is smothering his beloved dog in affection, as expected, and treating him as a normal dog who doesn't speak Korean in a strange voice. Everything was normal.

 

However, Jeongin can't shake the feeling that Kkami is directing a strangely smug look in his direction. 

 

After what is probably too many hours of playing video games and a delicious dinner, Jeongin finds himself alone for the first time in several hours. He's waiting for Hyunjin, again, and Kkami has arrived, again. The dog is so small, cute and harmless, but Jeongin has a strange feeling of apprehension. What if his brain wasn't making things up earlier? What if something weird happens again? Kkami leaps onto Hyunjin’s bed and Jeongin’s not sure whether he should do anything because knowing how much Hyunjin loves Kkami, he probably wouldn’t really care. But still, as far as he knows, beds are usually out of bounds for dogs. Jeongin hesitates for a moment, “Uh, Kkami,” 

 

He’s not quite sure how exactly he’s supposed to speak to the dog. Sure, people usually pucker their lips and speak in an exaggerated, high-pitched voice, as if they’ve inhaled helium (which is basically how the hyungs speak to Jeongin sometimes), but it seems a bit silly, especially when it seems that there might be a slight chance of the dog talking back. 

 

Kkami’s head whips towards Jeongin and he freezes, unsure of what crazy thing is going to happen next. But Kkami does not talk. He simply makes a totally normal, dog-like yipping noise and hops off the bed, scurrying into the hallway. Everything is normal. 

 

That night, Jeongin quickly slips into a deep sleep, dragged down into the world of dreams by the collective weight of all the long hours of work he has put into the last few months. Soon, he finds himself in a forest, surrounded at all sides by towering trees. The sun struggles to peek through all the leaves forming a roof above Jeongin’s head and he can hardly see what hides in the greenery. He’s not scared, though. He’s mostly just confused. Where is he and how does he get out of here? Eventually, he reaches a clearing, in which lies a glistening lake, beckoning towards him. He carefully steps towards it, unsure whether it’s safe to approach. After all, aren’t these beautiful lakes in mystical forests always illusions, or full of deadly beasts? Surely this can’t be real. (It isn’t, but he isn’t aware of this fact yet.) As Jeongin nears the lake, he notices movement from the corner of his eye. Shimmering scales come into his view for a split second before disappearing. The creature seems awfully large for a fish. However, soon, silver scales are accompanied by a black, billowing material- is that fur? He can’t be quite sure because the thing disappears immediately, and Jeongin is not sure he saw it at all. For some reason, Jeongin can’t bring himself to move away, so he remains rooted to the ground. After a few minutes- Jeongin can’t be sure how long, large, concentric circles emerge in the water directly in front of him, undulating and announcing the arrival of something from the depths of the lake. Finally, the majestic, strange creature makes its appearance and lifts its upper body out of the lake, anchoring itself onto the bank.

Wait, what the hell? Is that Kkami? With a fish tail? 

 

Jeongin barely has time to process what the hell is going on when a sudden downpour begins, drenching him. Wait, that’s just Kkami violently shaking off the water from his fur. Who knew fish-dogs did that too? Still, Jeongin has a slight suspicion that Kkami’s doing this  on purpose. He’s got some sort of feeling that Kkami doesn’t like him for some reason, as ridiculous as that seems. It’s quite upsetting, who doesn’t want to be adored by a cute little dog? 

 

Kkami finally stills and looks up at Jeongin with intense focus, making him slightly uneasy. The same deep voice from that afternoon returns and Jeongin thinks he really might be going crazy. 

 

“Are you going to ignore me again?”

 

Jeongin stumbles backwards. So this wasn’t a one time thing. Should he tell Hyunjin that his precious Kkami is a talking merdog? No, he would think he’s crazy. Maybe he is crazy. 

 

“What’s going on?”

 

“Well, Jeongin, I’d like to stage an intervention.”

 

“What? What have I done?”

 

So Kkami really doesn’t like him? But why? Jeongin hasn’t even known him for long! Did he step on his tail by accident? 

 

“You’re a threat.” Kkami says accusingly.

 

So he did step on Kkami’s tail! 

 

“I’m sorry for whatever I did but could you please just explain what’s going on?”

 

“Oh no, you haven’t really done anything  _ yet _ . I’m just concerned that you’re beginning to replace me. You’re dangerously close to becoming number one on Hyunjin’s list of most adorable people.”

 

Jeongin bites back the remark that Kkami isn’t even a person. He’s still so confused. In fact, he may be even more confused than before. He doesn’t get any clarification, though because Kkami suddenly disappears and so does the forest, and he’s back in Hyunjin’s bedroom. Only now does Jeongin realise that all that was just a dream. So he’s not going crazy, right? But still, the dream seems to have come from  _ somewhere _ . Dreams can contain leftovers from the day, which seep into your unconscious during the night. And he had a memory, though possibly unreliable, of the very same dog (except without a fish tail) speaking to him in the very same voice. So, what was the case? Did that dream come from his very real, very weird experience of being talked to by a dog, or was he just hallucinating it? Whatever the case was, it was really early in the morning, now that Jeongin had checked the time on his phone. He didn’t really feel much like sleeping, though. It was that weird threshold of time where it’s too early to actually get up and start doing things, but too late to go back to sleep without the fear of waking up far too late and disrupting the rhythm of the entire day. 

 

Jeongin peers over at Hyunjin, sleeping on his bed to the right of the futon that had been set up for Jeongin. He’s still asleep, unsurprisingly, considering that even on days where they have be up early for jam-packed schedules, he would not be able to wake up if not for multiple blaring alarms and Jeongin, who is woken up by said alarms. Now that he has a precious break in which he has the luxury to sleep as long as he wants, it’s no surprise that he’s taking that opportunity. He looks so blissful and at peace to finally have some much needed rest, with his eyes closed and a smile on his face. Jeongin wonders whether he’s having a nice dream. He decides to leave Hyunjin alone for now. He can do with one or two days without Jeongin pestering him to wake up, he supposes. 

 

Jeongin isn’t quite sure what to do by himself, though. What is one supposed to do when the person you’re visiting is fast asleep? Jeongin glances back at Hyunjin for a moment before he decides that it’s kind of weird to just be staring at him while he sleeps, and then he quietly heads out of the room and into the hallway. He quickly realises that even though Hyunjin is terrible at waking up, that doesn’t mean the same would apply to his family. He soon encounters Hyunjin’s mother, who greets him eagerly and offers for him to watch TV while he’s waiting. He tries to protest but to no avail. Soon enough, he’s settled on the sofa in front of some random drama he has no real interest in. 

 

He’s not quite sure how long it has been, when he feels the sofa shift beneath him as a weight drops next to him and then proceeds to drape over him. Hyunjin has an arm around Jeongin and his head rests on his shoulder and he is warm. Being the maknae of the group, Jeongin is used to receiving constant and excessive skinship from his hyungs and Hyunjin is by far the biggest offender. He won’t admit it but he doesn’t dislike it. Whether its for fanservice or not, the older boy is extremely clingy, constantly attaching himself to Jeongin and cooing at him as if he’s a cute puppy. Speaking of dogs, Jeongin vaguely remembers his dream from last night but he’s not too clear on the details and he definitely doesn’t understand what the hell it all means. Dreams don’t necessarily have to have some sort of deep meaning, do they?

 

Hyunjin lifts his head slightly from Jeongin’s shoulder and sleepily mumbles, “Mornin’, Jeonginnie. What’re you watching?”

 

“Hey, hyung. Honestly, I don’t really know,” Jeongin replies.

 

“Have you been up long?”

 

“No, not really.”

 

Hyunjin nods and settles back down, with his face settled in the crook of Jeongin’s neck. They stay huddled on the sofa, occasionally making remarks on the dramatic scenes unfolding on the screen in front of them until Hyunjin loudly declares that he’s  _ starving  _ and needs breakfast immediately. Jeongin follows as Hyunjin quickly scurries towards the kitchen, where his mother already has an array of side dishes along with rice prepared, ready to be devoured by the young, hungry boys. 

 

After the meal, Hyunjin insists that they get out of the house so he can show Jeongin around, even though he’s not really a stranger to Seoul, considering their dorm is not located not a huge distance away. Still, Jeongin lets the older boy drag him out of the house, but not before grabbing a warm jacket. Hyunjin, on the other hand, grabs Kkami. They don’t really have any destination in mind, so they aimlessly walk wherever Hyunjin’s whims take them, eventually ending up at a park. Hyunjin gradually gravitates closer and closer to Jeongin, eventually walking with barely any space between him and Jeongin, their sides against each other. He wraps an arm around Jeongin’s shoulders and pulls him closer. The chilly air has no chance against the combined warmth of Jeongin’s big, fluffy coat and the boy beside him. 

 

Jeongin doesn’t quite realise how close they are until suddenly, they’re not. He stumbles slightly as he loses balance when Hyunjin abruptly jerks forward, tugged forward by Kkami running forward with a burst of speed. Jeongin rushes to catch up and they continue just walking around at a leisurely pace and chatting about school and the other members and music. 

 

The rest of the day is spent in a similarly relaxed manner, with Jeongin and Hyunjin stuck by each others’ sides, along with Kkami close by. It’s a nice change from the usual hectic schedules and noisy dorm and while Jeongin does kind of wish he could be with his family to make it even better, Hyunjin is really great company and his presence makes up for it. By the end of the day, Jeongin is happy but drained, the type of tired that’s more satisfaction and contentedness than actual exhaustion, evidence of a good day rather than something that would hinder it. He falls asleep with a smile on his face.

 

The next morning, Jeongin and Hyunjin do not have the luxury of sleeping in as long as they like. As Jeongin is getting ready to return to the dorms, he vaguely recalls the dream he had last night. Like the night before, Kkami was there, except this time, he didn’t have a fish tail. He was still just as annoying and mean, though.

 

After the short, refreshing break, Stray Kids dive right back into their busy schedules. It’s like going back out into the beating heat of the sun sun after just a small splash of cold water. As always, the boys are required to wake up early to practice, be carted around to events, practice some more, rinse and repeat. As usual, Hyunjin’s ridiculously loud alarm yells at the dancer, “HWANG HYUNJIN, WAKE UP!!!” and as usual, rather than it working on the intended target, Jeongin is startled awake by it. Jeongin quietly pads towards the room Hyunjin shares with Jisung and Seungmin to wake Hyunjin. He carefully nudges the door open, trying not to make too much noise, as if it makes a difference when everyone’s supposed to wake up soon anyway. 

 

When he walks in, Seungmin is already sitting up, glaring at the offending phone which is still screaming persistently, as if he has never heard it before and as if he couldn’t just switch it off himself. The two youngest boys exchange a look for a moment, then Jeongin walks over and turns off the alarm, Hyunjin’s own recorded voice ceasing in an instant. However, the actual Hyunjin remains silent and thoroughly asleep. Jeongin turns towards him and starts nudging and poking Hyunjin in a weak attempt to rouse him. He knows it won’t work, but he still tries anyway. After about a minute or so of repeated shoving and increasingly exasperated pleas of “Hyunjin-hyung, wake up!”, Jeongin decides that he must proceed to the next phase. He takes a deep breath and recalls everything he has learned in all his vocal lessons on projecting his voice. He leans down, his mouth mere centimetres from Hyunjin’s ear.

 

1, 2, 3. 

 

“HWANG HYUNJIN, THE DORM IS ON FIRE!” He yells with all his might. That’s much better than Hyunjin’s alarm featuring his own voice. Maybe he should record it instead of coming in and doing something like this nearly every day. 

 

Yang Jeongin is renowned worldwide for his dolphin shriek. His powerful voice can be heard from miles away. It is capable of making the Earth shake and striking fear into the hearts of his enemies (Seungmin). While this yell is no dolphin shriek, it is still extremely potent, and yet, it still seems to be ineffective. 

 

Well, not exactly, if the scream coming from the other side of the room is any indication. Jisung has shot up in bed and won’t stop shrieking. Jeongin isn’t really sure if he’s actually awake yet. 

 

He hears a groggy voice mumbling from right beside him. 

 

“Jisung, what the fuck is going on?” Hyunjin complains.

 

So  _ now  _ he’s awake. 

 

“Oh, hey, Jeongin! When did you get in here?” Hyunjin chirps, as if Jeongin isn’t usually the one who wakes him up even though Hyunjin has multiple alarms and Jeongin doesn’t even sleep in the same room.

 

Jeongin lets out an exasperated sigh, “Come on, Hyunjin-hyung, Jisung-hyung, we’re going to be late.”

  
  


They practice for hours on end because they have a comeback to prepare for. 3racha have been working tirelessly on songs and now all of them have to work tirelessly on perfecting the performance of these songs. After several hours of unrelenting practice- the same moves being repeated over and over again until they can be performed thoughtlessly and in sync, all of Jeongin’s muscles burn in protest. He slumps down onto the floor of the practice room. Now that he’s down here, he feels like he couldn’t get up if he tried. The others are still continuing on with their practice and even though Jeongin does plan to get up and try again eventually, he feels like he’s going to drag them down. He feels terrible about that but he doesn’t want to let it show. He’s got to keep pushing forward with a smile on his face because he is determined to succeed, he really is. However, it seems someone’s caught on. Hyunjin approaches the area of the mirror-lined wall Jeongin is leaning against. His hair is damp with sweat and his chest is heaving from all the strenuous practice and the effort to be  _ perfect _ but he’s still got this bright smile on his face that makes Jeongin feel like he’s going to be okay. Usually, Jeongin tries to cheer his hyungs and his fans up with his optimism and energy but sometimes, he needs encouragement too. 

 

“Hey, Jeongin, are you okay? If you’re too tired, you don’t have to force yourself to keep going.” Hyunjin inquires, worry and affection tinging his voice. 

 

“No, it’s okay, hyung, really.” 

 

Even so, Chan notices a break in activity and approaches to investigate and naturally, the others come streaming towards him too. Soon, Jeongin is surrounded by nearly all of Stray Kids and while he appreciates the sentiment, he just sat down to catch his breath! He’s totally fine, mostly. 

 

It’s no surprise that Jeongin falls asleep as soon as he returns to his bed after that ridiculously long practice session. He dreams again, which is strange to him, since he wouldn’t consider himself to be someone who has dreams exceptionally often, especially involving such similar events. You see, Kkami is there in his dreams yet again. Jeongin would’ve thought that once he left Hyunjin’s (Kkami’s) house, the little dog would leave his dreams. Things that were often present in your real life or thoughts during the day could show up in your dreams during the night, right? So, why is Kkami still there?

 

Over the next few days, Stray Kids continues to work hard, preparing for their upcoming comeback and over the next few nights, Jeongin continues to have dreams. He has them almost every night and almost every night, Kkami is involved in some way. They’re not exactly recurring dreams, because something different yet equally strange happens in each one, but Jeongin knows they’re connected in some way. He doesn’t understand dreams in the first place, but something about these ones is even weirder. Being an idol, he never gets much rest anyway, but lately, he’s starting to think that even the sleep he does get doesn’t really amount to anything. It’s like leaving your phone to charge overnight only to wake up and discover that you never even switched the charger on. He doesn’t really know what’s wrong or if there’s actually even a real problem, but he does vaguely recall reading somewhere that regular dreaming and being able to remember these dreams means that he’s not sleeping well. He does remember most of these dreams, even though the vast quantity of them means he keeps mixing up bits and pieces from different ones. What he does know, though, is that no matter if he ends up under the sea, on a different planet or even in the practice room, Kkami is usually somewhere nearby, ready to show up at any moment. In fact, even Kkami’s owner has been making a few appearances too. Jeongin wouldn’t be surprised that these boys who share and take up so much of his waking life would appear in his dreams as well, but it seems to be mostly Hyunjin. He doesn’t do much, he’s usually somewhat a background character, doing something unimportant while Kkami bickers with Jeongin in that bellowing voice that’s becoming too familiar. 

 

One morning, Jeongin tiredly drags himself to the kitchen, where Minho is leaning leisurely against the counter, with Changbin talking animatedly to him, neither of them sparing a glance towards Chan, the only one who seems to be bothered about making sure everyone is fed. 

 

“So, I had this dream last night. No, it was a nightmare. I went out to return some pants that were too long, and then I came across some shop and I bought something really cool because I couldn’t help it. I don’t really remember what it was, though. That doesn’t really matter.”

 

“Wow, that sounds terrifying.” Minho deadpans in response.

 

“No, just listen. What matters is that apparently that thing was for Jisung, and I gave it to him and you know what he did? He hugged me! Now,  _ that _ is terrifying.”

 

“You poor thing…”

 

Suddenly, Changbin looks up in Jeongin’s direction and beams. “Oh, look, it’s a nice dongsaeng that I actually do like to hug! Hi, Jeongin!”

 

“Good morning, Changbin hyung, Minho hyung. Oh, and hi, Chan hyung!” Jeongin replies with a bright smile of his own, braces-lined teeth on full display. 

 

“Jeongin, I was just telling Minho hyung about my dream. What do you think it all means?” Changbin jumps right back into the previous topic.

 

“Uh…” Jeongin begins, unsure what to say. “Doesn’t Minho hyung know more about this stuff?”

 

“Oh yeah, you know all about this shit, don’t you, hyung? Please enlighten me.”

 

Minho proudly lifts his chin and puffs out his chest with a self-satisfied smile, “Yeah, I’m a veritable expert at dream interpretation. Sure, I’ll do it. For a small price of fifty thousand won.”

 

“Fine, then, I don’t need you. You’re probably a fraud anyway.” Changbin huffs.

 

Jeongin pipes up, taking the opportunity, “Actually, Minho hyung, I’ve been having some dreams too, and I wanted some help figuring out what’s going on.”

 

“Of course, Jeonginnie! Anything for you. Whats up?” 

 

“Uh… I’ve been having all these dreams, almost every night. And they’re all kinda similar in a way, I guess. They’re pretty weird and I have no idea what it all means. Also, I think sometimes, I kinda know I’m dreaming, and I know what I’m doing. I kinda control what’s going on, I guess?”

 

“Hmm… so you’re having recurring, lucid dreams. I see.” Minho muses, stroking an imaginary beard.

 

“Umm, probably?”

 

Minho nods sagely, ”Hmm, okay then. I suggest you start keeping a dream diary. They’re good for keeping track of your dreams and getting the hang of lucid dreams. You note down whatever happens in your dreams as soon as you wake up so you don’t forget, and then you can analyse them for important themes that keep showing up.”

 

“ _ Now  _ you’re being useful?” Changbin questions incredulously and accusatory. Minho simply grins and shrugs in reply, while Jeongin thanks him.

 

Jeongin leaves the kitchen and bumps into Hyunjin, of all people. 

 

“Jeongin! How are you doing? Are you okay? You seem tired.” Hyunjin greets him, concern and affection abundant in his words. So Jeongin's tiredness had been significant enough to be noticeable. He dismisses Hyunjin's worries with a shake of his head and a smile, simply saying “I'm okay. Don't worry, hyung! You know how it gets.” 

 

He's not entirely sure himself if it's really true but he doesn't tell Hyunjin about the dreams, of course. That would be kind of weird. Hyunjin would want to know what the dreams were about and being his best friend, Jeongin would usually tell him such things. This time, however, he doesn't feel up to it. It's so strange. Dreaming about Hyunjin's dog teasing him and being annoying while speaking in a ridiculously deep voice is one thing, but dreaming about Hyunjin himself, smiling and laughing and making Jeongin feel inexplicably happy? How is he supposed to tell him about that?

 

Hyunjin smiles softly but still doesn't seem entirely convinced. “Okay, but you can come to me or any of the other guys if you need to. And I'll help you with the dance steps if you're struggling.” 

 

It's a small thing but it makes Jeongin so, so happy. Not just Hyunjin, but all of his hyungs are so eager and willing to help Jeongin with whatever he needs, whether it be emotional support, getting a particularly difficult step right or opening stubborn jars. They also have so much on their plates and they don't have to be so nice but they are and it makes Jeongin feel at home, like he's part of a family. 

  
  


Later, after practice, Jeongin decides to try out Minho's idea of a dream diary. He finds a notebook he's never really used and flips it open, just staring at the blank pages for a few moments, unsure of what exactly to do. Sure, Minho said he just had to record what happens in his dreams, but is there some sort of format? What if he does it wrong and gets nothing out of it? He could ask Minho, but it's late, so he decides to just consult his trusty friend, Google. After skimming through a few articles, Jeongin thinks he's got the hang of it and he knows he really needs what sleep he can get, so he settles into bed with his notebook beside him, waiting to be filled with dreams the next morning. 

  
  


_ Day 1: _

 

_ I was running away from the direction of the JYP building. I looked behind me and Kkami was there, chasing after me. I was running out of breath and not looking where I was going. I was scared but I don't know why because Kkami is so small and cute looking. Maybe it's because of all the weird stuff he says. He kept yelling at me to look, so I looked behind me and then I crashed into Hyunjin. He just giggled and hugged me. Then he suddenly disappeared and Kkami laughed at me. _

 

~~

 

_ Day 3: _

 

_ I was sitting on top of a huuuuuuge tree with Hyunjin. There were loads of huge branches full of pretty flowers in every colour of the rainbow. Hyunjin held my hand and smiled at me. I'm not sure what I was feeling but it was nice. Suddenly, I lost balance and started falling. Hyunjin tried to catch me but it was too late. I fell so fast, it made me dizzy and sick. It seemed like I would fall forever. There were other trees but none of them were even half the height of this giant one. As I got closer to the ground, I saw someone and I shouted for attention, but it turned out that it was just Kkami, standing on two legs. He somehow caught me and said “Happy to see me?” I told him to go away but he didn't. He just won't leave me alone. _

 

~~

_ Day 6:  _

 

_ I was wearing a fancy suit and I was about to get married, to Kkami I think. Felix was playing the piano while Chan walked me down the aisle. Minho was the one officiating the wedding. I'm not sure if he was qualified even in the dream. He said some really weird stuff, then asked if anyone objected, the whole “speak now or forever hold your peace” thing and he smiled weirdly. There was a gigantic wedding cake with nine tiers, even though I don't think they usually have a cake at the actual ceremony. Suddenly, the cake burst open and Hyunjin jumped out, yelling that he wasn't ready for his precious baby Kkami to get married yet. Then he ran up to me and grabbed me and said that also, he was in love with me. Then he kissed me on the lips. I was very confused and flustered. _

 

Jeongin takes a deep breath and knocks on the door to the room he shares with Woojin, Felix… and Minho. He probably doesn’t need to knock on the door to his own room, but he does so anyway because he’s feeling awkward. It's been almost a week and the dreams keep coming and disturbing his sleep and even his thinking patterns during the day. He's not sure what Minho can really do, especially since he was so ridiculous with Changbin that last time, but he's Jeongin's best bet. Jeongin's a bit- no, very embarrassed to show him all this, though. Dreams in themselves are supposed to be very personal revealing anyway and Jeongin's dreams have been getting increasingly embarrassing. Hyunjin has been showing up more and more, becoming more and more prominent, evolving from a side character, a cameo role into a lead role. Jeongin has a feeling that Hyunjin’s the romantic lead and he doesn't know what to make of that. It's a strange and embarrassing idea to present to anyone else, especially Minho, who will definitely tease him or say something weird about it. 

 

“Come in!” Minho yells from inside and Jeongin shuffles in. 

 

“Hi, hyung. Can you help me?”

 

“Ah, Jeongin! Well, that depends what you need, though I am a master of many things.” Minho replies with excessive bravado.

 

“I did what you suggested. I've been writing a dream diary.” Jeongin explains and Minho's eyes widen in interest. Jeongin hesitantly offers the book to Minho.

 

“Oh, you've actually been doing it? I didn't ask you to bring it to me, though. I'm not your teacher, you know. I'm not gonna read all of this and mark it.” Minho jokes but still opens the notebook and flips through it anyway, humming in concentration as he reads. Jeongin repeatedly shakes his leg in impatience as he waits for the verdict. Minho finally looks up at him with a shit eating grin. 

 

“So…?” Jeongin prompts. 

 

“So, I've painstakingly gone through every single detail of every one of these entries and through all my careful analysis, I have come to a conclusion. According to my calculations, you, Jeongin dear, are in love with Hyunjin's dog.” Minho replies with a flourish, looking 100% confident. 

 

Wait, what?

 

“What? No! Hyung, that makes no sense. That's so weird! I'm not into that weird stuff like you are! Changbin hyung was right, there was no use asking you about this!” 

 

Minho places a hand over his chest in exaggerated offense, his mouth hanging open. “How rude! How could you doubt me? I really am an expert in such matters!”

 

“Uhh…”

 

“Wait, actually, maybe you were right. My calculations were slightly off. You're not secretly in love with Kkami, you're secretly in love with Hyunjin!” Minho exclaims excitedly.

 

“Are you sure you're an expert, hyung? I don't think that's right either…” Jeongin replies, but he's not so sure. Minho's planted an idea in his brain and maybe in his heart and for some reason, he can't bring himself to say for sure that Minho's hypothesis is wrong. 

 

“Well, thank you, hyung, I guess.” Jeongin says, but just as he's leaving, Minho calls after him and he stops in his tracks. 

 

“You know, Jeongin, dreams may have loads of symbols in them, which obviously represent different things in real life, but the emotions you feel in your dreams usually mirror the ones you feel when you're awake.”

 

For the rest of the day, Jeongin just can't stop thinking about the dream he had last night, particularly Hyunjin's declaration of love and… the kiss. He also can't stop thinking about Minho's verdict. Surely it  can't be true.  _ Some more of this _

 

While he's still stewing in these thoughts, Jeongin comes across Seungmin, who has  _ that _ look on his face. He knows what's coming next. Seungmin approaches him, arms outstretched and Jeongin tries to move away, but he's cornered. 

 

“Hi, Jeongin!” Seungmin says cheerfully, clinging onto the younger boy like a barnacle. Jeongin doesn't share his enthusiasm and tries to shake and push him off, whining, “Seungmin hyung, go away!” Seungmin doesn't listen and just pulls him closer. 

 

Being bothered and chased by Seungmin isn't anything new for Jeongin, but this time it's a bit different. Jeongin knows that Seungmin crowding his space and being aggressively affectionate is completely platonic and he feels the same way, but this time, the older boy being so close is making him feel funny. It's not Seungmin, exactly. It's more the position they're in, with Seungmin's face just centimetres away from Jeongin's and Seungmin surrounding him every way he can look. He loves Seungmin, he's one of his best friends, even if it doesn't show when Jeongin constantly pushes him away and speaks to him in ways that could be considered scandalous when used towards his elders. Even so, he can't help visualising being in a similar situation with a different person, in a different context. Seungmin himself doesn't make Jeongin flustered, with his heart rate skyrocketing and his face heating up but there's someone who recently, has been able to do that with just the tiniest smile or touch of a hand. For some reason, right now, he can't stop thinking about Hyunjin. Hyunjin Hyunjin Hyunjin. Hyunjin is super clingy and affectionate towards everyone, that's just how he is. But for some reason, Jeongin wants Hyunjin here, like this, with his face mere centimetres away from his, where he would barely even have to move in order to kiss him. He can't stop thinking about that stupid dream last night and all the other ones leading up to it and he blames it all on stupid Seungmin and stupid Kkami and stupid Hyunjin and his stupid pretty face and his stupid cuteness and his stupid smile.

 

_ Day 10: _

 

_ This dream was like the Wizard of Oz, I guess. The whole dorm building was picked up in a tornado and landed in the middle of nowhere. I stepped out in a blue gingham dress and Kkami followed at my heels. The Wicked Witch of the East had been crushed under the building and his feet were sticking out. Chan came up to me and told me to wear the shoes and double knot them so they don't come undone and follow the yellow brick road to the Wizard of Oz. I walked to the Emerald City with Kkami, Jisung, Woojin and Felix. When we reached the Emerald City, I walked inside the building and saw JYP PD-nim. He spoke in a really deep voice and I was confused. I asked him for advice but then it turned out that he was actually just a cardboard cutout and Kkami was really the so-called Wizard of Oz  _ _ and _ _ my dog at the same time. I asked Kkami why he keeps showing up  _ _ everywhere _ _ and why he keeps infiltrating my subconscious with weird dreams and thoughts of Hyunjin. He said something like “I may have invaded your dreams but I'm not actually tampering with anything. Those thoughts and feelings are all buried in your own subconscious, I'm just bringing them to your attention.” Then I clicked the heels of my Yeezys together 9 times and woke up. _

 

Jeongin is confused after his dream, as always. Kkami has been showing up so often, speaking in that same voice from his encounter with him at Hyunjin's house- which Jeongin is now fairly certain was not just a figment of his imagination. Even though he meets Kkami in his sleep and in the wildest situations, he's starting to think that it's not just his brain making things up and maybe as Kkami said last night, the dog did invade his head while he was asleep. It makes almost no sense, but somehow, Jeongin is starting to believe it. There's another important thing, though. Kkami is not the only frequent member of the cast of his dreams. Jeongin’s dreams have been increasingly involving Hyunjin; holding Hyunjin's hand, kissing Hyunjin, buying matching couple clothes with Hyunjin, sharing big, sickly sweet milkshakes with Hyunjin. If Kkami is right about having invaded Jeongin's dreams, is he also telling the truth about Hyunjin occupying Jeongin's subconscious mind? Now, Hyunjin's also starting to occupy his conscious mind, showing up not only in his dreams at night but also in his daydreams. He's now actually considering what Minho had said that day, not about Kkami, but about Hyunjin. 

 

After practice, Jeongin manages to catch Chan, who he thinks, hopes is probably the most reliable when it comes to these things. He knows Chan is busy, especially right before a comeback, so he doesn't want to bother him too much but he needs guidance. 

 

“Chan-hyung, wait!” Jeongin calls and Chan looks back quickly, smiling warmly when he sees Jeongin. 

 

“What is it, Jeongin? Do you need help with the choreography? Your singing? Are you doing okay? Don't overwork yourself, you're doing great.”

 

“No, hyung, I'm fine. It's something else,” Jeongin assures the leader. “I'm a bit confused about something.”

 

Chan gestures for Jeongin to elaborate, so he continues. He's not sure where to start. 

 

“I've been having lots of really… sappy dreams involving Hyunjin hyung. And now I just can't stop thinking about him. And when he's with me or when he clings onto me, I get all flustered and my insides feel funny. Minho-hyung said that I'm, uh, in love with him but… I don't know. I'm so confused.” 

 

“Hmm…” Chan ponders Jeongin's issue for a moment, “I'm no expert on dreams and all that stuff but I'm pretty sure that if you keep dreaming romantic stuff about someone, it's usually a sign that you have feelings for them. And maybe  _ love _ is a bit of a strong word and obviously I can't read your mind but it sounds to me like our Jeonginnie's got a  _ crush…”  _ He says teasingly, voice lilting upwards on the word “crush” and dragging it out. He ruffles Jeongin's hair affectionately. 

 

“Hyung…” Jeongin whines in protest, shaking his head and shaking Chan's hand off him. But he knows he really needs to stop ignoring the elephant in the room and think about this. Does he have a crush on Hyunjin? He'd be lying if he said that the idea of doing some of the cute stuff he does with Hyunjin in his dreams (minus the strange situations and Kkami watching them closely) in real life isn't kind of...nice. He's really close to Hyunjin and he really enjoys his company and he admires him so much and thinks he's so cool and nice, but maybe there  _ is _ more to it than he thought. 

 

For the next few weeks, Stray Kids keep working hard and Jeongin keeps having dreams and noting them down in his dream diary and thinking about Hyunjin and starting to accept that yes, maybe he actually does like him. Nearly a month after Jeongin's trip to Hyunjin's place, Hyunjin briefly returns home to his precious Kkami and his parents. When he returns, he immediately runs up to Jeongin, bouncing excitedly. 

 

“Jeongin! You won't believe what happened!” Hyunjin exclaims. 

 

Honestly, after the weird stuff that's been happening with Kkami, Jeongin would believe almost anything, at this point, but he signals for Hyunjin to explain.

 

Hyunjin jumps right into it. “Well, I was super excited to meet Kkami again because I love him so much and it had been  _ so long.  _ He clearly didn't miss me as much as I missed him because he kept ignoring me when I wanted to play with him.” Hyunjin recalls, with a cute pout. “Anyway, this is crazy but he  _ talked  _ to me! He spoke in this  _ really _ deep voice, it was kinda scary, actually. I don't really remember what he said 'cause I was so shocked but I'm pretty sure he mentioned you? I guess you left quite an impression on him.” The older boy's excitement is flowing out of him in a torrent, as are his words. His eyes are wide and his expression expectant as he waits for Jeongin's response. 

 

Sure, Jeongin  _ is _ surprised, but not by the idea of Kkami talking. He found out about that almost a month ago but there had been no indication that Kkami would be talking to anyone other than Jeongin. Maybe Kkami got tired of Jeongin and his cluelessness and avoidance of his feelings. Jeongin doesn't realise that he's been silent for too long and has been just staring at Hyunjin for a minute or so. 

 

Hyunjin's voice breaks Jeongin out of his thoughts, “So you don't believe me?” he questions sheepishly. 

 

Jeongin considers for a moment. He's been thinking for a while and now seems as good a time as any. He's been itching to tell Hyunjin about Kkami and his dreams anyway, since before anything else, Hyunjin is his best friend and you tell these weird and funny things to your best friends. Also, he probably should tell him about his feelings at some point. It's a scary thought but he knows it should be done. 

 

“Actually, about that…” Jeongin begins hesitantly. “Come with me.” He beckons as he starts towards his room, the place where most of his dreams are cultivated. Hyunjin looks confused but follows along anyway, sitting beside Jeongin on his bed as the younger boy retrieves his notebook from its usual place under his pillow, out of sight and unknown to everyone except Jeongin and Minho, and now Hyunjin. 

 

“I do believe you,” Jeongin says when he finally gains the courage. “Because Kkami actually talked to me too, when I visited your house. Since then, he keeps talking to me.” 

 

Hyunjin's eyebrows furrow at this, in confusion. “But how?”

 

“He visits me in my dreams.” Jeongin explains, “and so do you.” 

 

Hyunjin's eyes flicker down to the notebook in Jeongin's hands and back up to his face, curiously. Jeongin takes a deep breath. “I've been recording my dreams in here.” He says, offering the book to Hyunjin, who still looks at him, asking for permission to read the mysterious contents inside. Jeongin nods but still carefully curates exactly which dreams he'll let Hyunjin read, because even if he's baring everything to him, some things are just far too embarrassing. Even from the entries Hyunjin  _ is _ reading, Jeongin is embarrassed and nervous. He has no idea what will come out of this. He has thought often about what Kkami said during that very first dream, that Hyunjin finds Jeongin to be cute, no, the cutest. But that doesn't necessarily mean anything. All the hyungs find Jeongin cute, all the stays find Jeongin cute, but they coo over him as if he's a cute baby or puppy, not as a romantic interest. Hyunjin is probably the same. And even if he isn't, even if he reciprocates Jeongin's feelings, what can come of it? Being an idol doesn't provide much room for that sort of stuff. Jeongin looks cautiously, expectantly at Hyunjin. Is he going to make fun of him? 

 

Hyunjin looks up and meets Jeongin's gaze. He's giggling, his whole face glowing with a smile. Jeongin's heart does a flip in his chest. 

 

“Jeongin, why are showing me all this right now?” 

 

“Well, I thought I might as well since you told me Kkami spoke to you and the same thing happened to me. And...uh...I wasn't sure how to put this. I'd wanted to tell you about all this, especially since Kkami's your dog and I thought you'd find it funny but uh... I didn't feel like I could tell you a lot about them ‘cause it was too embarrassing. I think you can tell but… I  _ like _ you, hyung.”

 

He's certain that his face must be ridiculously red by now, but so is Hyunjin's. 

 

“Oh” Hyunjin breathes out, barely audible, then there's another pretty smile. This small space between Jeongin's confession and whatever Hyunjin's response will be seems so much longer than it really is, anticipation and nervousness stretching it out. What is Hyunjin going to say now? What is he going to do now?

 

Hyunjin puts the book down and fumbles with his now empty hands for a moment before taking one of Jeongin's hands in his own. “Does this mean that now that Kkami's talked to me too, I'm gonna have crazy dreams involving you?” 

 

“I like you too, Jeongin.” Hyunjin says, finally, shyly. Jeongin's having trouble believing that  _ this _ isn't a dream too. It wouldn't be too far off what has often been happening in his dreams recently. Just last night, he'd had yet another dream involving Hyunjin. He wasn't even sure if much happened in it, just that he had been stroking Kkami's soft belly and also, at one point, he had been stroking Hyunjin's soft hair, with the older boy laying with his head on Jeongin's lap. Nothing much had even happened but he had been left smiling for nearly half an hour after he woke up. 

 

Right now, though, something that seemed super important to Jeongin is happening. Did Hyunjin really just say that? Jeongin looks at Hyunjin and Hyunjin looks at Jeongin and what do they do now? 

 

After what seems like forever, Hyunjin is the one to finally break the silence. 

 

“Jeongin, can I kiss you?” 

 

Holy shit. Is this really happening? Jeongin is struck speechless, so he just nods because this is something he's been wanting for weeks, but thinking it would only ever happen in his dreams. 

 

Hyunjin leans towards Jeongin and Jeongin mirrors his movement and their lips meet. Honestly, Jeongin's not 100% sure what he's doing because during the time he might've been learning about all this stuff, he'd been dedicating all his time to practicing and music. Still, the kiss is nice and soft and full of all the emotion he'd been holding back, even from himself and that he never would've imagined Hyunjin felt too. 

 

Jeongin’s been having all these dreams and he’s not been sure what to think of them. He’s not been sure what to think of the fact that the subject of most of these dreams has been Hyunjin. Hyunjin himself would be called a dream by some, or well, dreamy. With his tall height and pretty lips and nice hair and kind eyes and soft smile and beautiful heart, it’s easy to see why, even if it may not be so easy to admit. Jeongin can’t deny that Hyunjin is good looking, but he struggles to admit the rest, that Hyunjin is so beautiful both inside and out and that he has this magnetic pull that draws in even Jeongin, especially Jeongin. But Hyunjin isn’t a dream. He’s real. He’s so real and he’s right there, right beside Jeongin. He’s always there for Jeongin. Whenever Jeongin can’t quite get a step right or doesn’t quite get his homework or misses his family or feels inadequate, Hyunjin’s right there. Sure, even Hyunjin’s not perfect. He has his own shortcomings. But still, somehow, Hwang Hyunjin, the real life Hyunjin is better than any dream. He’s so amazing, with so many desirable traits that have millions of fans falling to his feet, but the best part is, he’s right there and he’s not going anywhere. Jeongin could open his eyes, and Hyunjin will still be there, right beside him. 

 

Jeongin falls asleep with Hyunjin right beside him, holding his hand.

 

_ Day 26: _

 

_ I was in a forest again and I was lost. But this time, Hyunjin came out of nowhere and he smiled at me and took my hand and I was overwhelmed with affection. We flew upwards and then soared above the forest, hand in hand and smiling at each other. _

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> This was my first fic in about two years and my first Stray Kids fic and Kpop fic in general, ever, so it was a pretty big challenge! It was really, fulfilling though, and I hope it fulfilled your expectations and that you enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing it! Funnily enough, even though I got carried away in the beginning notes and the actual fic itself, I'm not really sure what to write in these end notes but I did want to add some. Thank you for reading and I hope you're having a great Christmas/Holiday/Whatever!


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